Retiring Aussie tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt has been drawn against compatriot James Duckworth in the first round of his 20th and final Australian Open.

It will be the first time the two wild-card entrants have met on the tour, made all the more interesting by the fact Hewitt has played a mentoring role in the 23-year-old’s emerging career in recent times.

Friday’s draw for the year’s first grand slam was relatively kind to the Aussie contingent, with only two of Australia’s 18 confirmed singles entrants drawn to face seeds in the opening round at Melbourne Park.

Whoever progresses from the clash between Hewitt and Duckworth, which will no doubt be played on Rod Laver Arena, is in line to face eighth seed David Ferrer in the second round.

Australia’s top seed Bernard Tomic (16) will open his tournament against Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin, with a potential meeting with Andy Murray waiting in the fourth round.

Meanwhile Hopman Cup hero Nick Kyrgios (29) will face Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta, with the 20-year-old in line to play sixth seed Tomas Berdych in the third round.

Australia’s top ranked woman Sam Stosur (25) will take on a qualifier in her first round match, with the former US Open champ scheduled to meet Agnieszka Radwanska in the third round should the pair advance.

Daria Gavrilova, who paired with Kyrgios to win Australia’s first Hopman Cup in 17 years earlier this month, has been drawn against Lucie Hradecka. The winner will face sixth seed Petra Kvitova in the second round.

The 2016 Australian Open gets underway on Monday 18th January and you’ll be able to catch all the action live on the big in our clubhouse throughout the rest of the month!

Aussies Round 1 opponents 

Men

16-Bernard Tomic v Denis Istomin (Uzb)
29-Nick Kyrgios v Pablo Carreno Busta (Esp)
Lleyton Hewitt v James Duckworth (Aus)
Sam Groth v Adrian Mannarino (Fra)
John Millman v Diego Schwartzman (Arg)
James Duckworth v Lleyton Hewitt (Aus)
Omar Jasika v Ilya Marchenko (Ukr)
Matthew Ebden v Marcel Granollers (Esp)
Jordan Thompson v Thomaz Bellucci (Bra)

Women

25-Sam Stosur v qualifier
Daria Gavrilova v Lucie Hradecka (Cze)
Ajla Tomljanovic v Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukr)
Jarmila Wolfe v qualifier
Tammi Patterson v 20-Ana Ivanovic (Ser)
Maddison Inglis v 21-Ekatenna Makarova (Rus)
Priscilla Hon v Annika Beck (Ger)
Kimberly Birrell v Julia Goerges (Ger)
Storm Sanders v Alexandra Dulgheru (Rou)